Sonic: Nowhere To Run
by SonikkuSL
Summary: Sonic has woken covered in someone elses blood, a sword beside him and no memory of the past few hours. He is wanted by the police for a brutal attack. Now he has to clear his name, and avoid being killed by every tom, dick, and harry that turns up.
1. Beginning of a nightmare

Characters involved:

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Rouge, Cream, Fan characters.

Sonic and all related characters are a trademark of Sega. Some minor Fan characters are the property of SonikkuSl aka lightning games.

Storyline however is copy write of SonikkuSl and if any elements of the story are used without permission i won't be a happy Sonikku.

**Chapter 1**

Sonic had been in hiding for months and now it had come to this. A blaster pointed in his face, held shakily by a certain Twin Tailed companion who Sonic thought trusted him. Tails's hand shook violently and tears rolled his cheeks, dampening the fur on his muzzle. He didn't want to shoot Sonic, but he thought he had to; it was a matter of circumstance. Sonic frowned, it was a problem for him not because he couldn't defeat Tails, but because he didn't want to hurt the fox, he loved him like a brother. This whole situation was tearing at his heart. 'Typical', he thought, 'just damned typical. I come this close and I'm between clearing my name and having it on a tombstone....' Sonic growled, staring his former friend right in the eyes, and then he jumped up spinning into a homing attack, and regrettably getting ready to smash into Tails. But before he could do this he felt tremendous pain in his side, and fell to the ground in a heap. Tails now uncontrollable with tears, streaming out like it was the last time he'd ever be able to do it. Sonic's vision became hazy, a red haze. He looked down at his side to find out what happened, in shock and not registering the smoking gun barrel of Tails's just fired blaster. Blood was seeping out and flowing down a drain. The hedgehog gave one last smile, and collapsed on the floor. Tails's scream was the last thing he heard, and it echoed in his soul.

"SOOOOOOOOOOOOOONIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIC!!!! WHY!! HOW COULD YOU KILL HER!? HOW COULD YOU!!!???"

This whole mess had started four months ago

When something equally terrible happened....

Sonic was walking through Station Square, quite content with the fact that Amy hadn't bothered him recently. She was far too busy trying to get Cream to stop crying over how Tails had turned her down. Sonic had hit 18 a month back, Amy was 16, Tails was 16, and Cream was 15, she'd turned into quite the young woman, and Tails got nervous when she asked him out and said he had other plans for the day. She took it pretty bad and for the past three days Amy and Rouge had had to try and get the poor rabbit over it.

Sonic sighed, and looked at Twinkle Park, which had just been re-opened after the Chaos incident. The park lights were calling to him but he had just had no time to go inside. Besides. The rides were WAAAAY to slow for Sonic. He brushed a hand back through his long top left spike and looked on ahead. It wasn't long before his silence was broken harshly.

"HEEELP MEEEE", a young female voice shrieked, Sonic recognised it instantly, it was Cream.

Sonic wasted no time at all, and shot off around the corner, heroically shouting "I'm Coming Cream!!" He screeched to a halt, slowing himself by standing on one foot, and looked around for Cream's 'would be' attacker. And saw absolutely nothing. Only the small rabbit looking smug on a park bench. Sonic cocked his head slightly and looked at the 15 year old.

"What's goin on?" He questioned, slightly bemused at why she would scream like that for no reason. Cream smiled a totally evil grin.

"Oh nothing.... just exercising my lungs, y'know, just in case i did have to scream....", She put on her best innocent face to counter her dark smile but Sonic was too sharp for that.

"What're you up to?" He asked, placing his hands on his hips and leaning forward quizzically. Cream tilted her head and looked totally shocked.

"What? What do you mean?" she gave herself away far too easily by glancing behind Sonic a couple of times, one of which she barely stifled a giggle. Sonic span round, staring directly into the eyes of.... Amy... He knew it was too good to be true, she wasn't helping cream get over Tails, she was teaching her how to get him no matter what he did. She smiled at Sonic rather seductively and then took a slow step forward, teasing him by tracing her finger around his chest in a heart motion.

"Hello, Sonic", she whispered. Barely audible.

"Umm... yeah, hi Amy, fancy meeting you here....", Sonic, took a deep breath, looking around for an escape route, and then his focus landed on cream, to whom he mouthed the words 'i so want to kill you'. She smiled and placed her hands behind her back, Cheese the chao fluttering onto her head from a nearby tree.

"Sonic. There's been something I've been just DYING to ask you", Amy had leaned in closer whilst Sonic had been looking frantically for an escape route, and had now pushed up against him. Sonic couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed at this. Amy had grown up well, she had a figure that most guys would have their jaws hitting the ground over, not to mention the fact that she had replaced her old dress with a similar but slightly more cleavage revealing one. Sonic looked at her for a second gulped and laughed a little nervously.

"Why don't you love me? I even changed the kind of underwear i wear for you." on that note Cream's eyes became as wide as a three lane highway, and Sonic's were only slightly smaller. Amy leaned in further, whispering lightly in his ear.

"Come with me, and I'll show you."

Sonic turned white as a sheet, which was quite an odd sight seeing as he was normally a darkish blue. He was so incredibly nervous, Amy was literally throwing herself at him, and he couldn't do much to resist. He pondered to himself something which he'd never thought about before. What Amy looked like under that figure hugging... NO!! He wouldn't think those thoughts, not about Amy. Not in public. Then a stroke of genius hit the hedgehog and he returned to his normal colour.

"Well, how about it?", Amy whispered, sounding very seductive.

Sonic didn't answer with words, but instead grabbed Amy by the shoulders and kissed her deeply, then whilst she was totally stunned and caught off guard sped off. The feeling of guilt at what he had just done was quite unbearable, plus, Amy was a really good kisser it turned out and he was having second thoughts about not taking her offer. But. None the less, he kept on running until he was safely back home in Emerald city. He slammed the door behind him so hard he nearly broke his wooden hut into a thousand pieces.

The blue hedgehog sighed and slumped down onto his couch, knocking a half eaten pizza off of the arm. He shook his head, looking at the floor, lost in his thoughts, it had been a month since Camera, his girlfriend of two years, had gone on a job and went undercover in Rouge's place. He missed her terribly, and it showed in his every motion, even those that he did when motionless. A small, slow blink. A prolonged sigh of anguish. He laid his head back on the comfy leather sofa, and closed his eyes. Shortly there after sleep caught him.

Sonic awoke with blood on his hands, staining the soft cloth of his gloves. He jumped up, somewhat startled, and looked around him. It was a back alley, in Station Square, and there was cold steel next to him, blood covering its entire form. The sword was one sonic had never seen before, the design nearly plunging into his soul, a red gem encrusted into the hilt. Sonic frowned, in the pale light he could see just enough to be confused. What time was it? How had he got here? Why the hell was he covered in blood.... Someone else's blood.... Who's blood was it?

Sonic span around, the blood dripping from his hands, and stepped slowly into the open, looking around the night area. What had happened? That thought ran through his head over and over. Until a bright light flashed into his eyes.

"You can't escape! Give yourself in and the court will be lenient!", the voice was coming from above, a police chopper was hovering over the bloodstained hedgehog's head, kicking up dust from the ground.

"What have i done!?", Sonic shouted back, it wasn't supposed to be a question, it was just thought aloud.

"Don't play games! Come quietly and you'll find out exactly what you've done! Scum!"

The last word boiled rage inside Sonic's heart, he was alone, tired, his head was pounding and he didn't know what was going on. The amount of times he'd saved the planet, after all his sacrifice. Scum? He growled loudly, looking around the immediate area, scouting out the amount of people that would be hurt if the 'copter came down. No-one. Sonic smirked, no-one meant he could get reckless. He rand up the wall behind him, twisted, and rebounded onto the side of the chopper.

"Scum huh?", Sonic retorted, his eyes showing flames to anyone who looked closely enough,

"Well if I'm scum, i guess what I'm about to do won't surprise you."

The pilot reached for his pistol, but was too late to fire, sonic rolled backwards and slammed into the tail of the copter. It twirled around hopelessly before plummeting to the ground and exploding violently. Two uniformed officers floating to the ground slowly in their parachutes. One, who was quite podgy and fell faster than his partner pulled on his radio.

"Control, this is alpha sigma 1..... We need a ride... Yes sir, he ran off before we could act.... I'm sorry sir.... yes sir, we are useless but..... Yes sir, i understand sir... inform the road block on route 128, they'll need heavy weaponry... Yes sir... very dangerous... he took down the chopper...."

Sonic had cooled off quite quickly, darting off towards Tails' workshop over in the Mystic Ruins. His mind was still a blank as to what had happened, and his gloves were still sticky with blood. He'd have Tails analyse the blood when he got to his workshop.


	2. Friends and Foes

**Chapter 2**

Tails was sat in the hospital waiting room, a very disturbed looking young rabbit sat next to him. Her eyes were vacant, lonely. Tails looked at her and put his arm around her shoulder, and stroked his other hand across the back of her head repeatedly. Cream opened up to him, rivers of tears flowing into the fox's shoulder. He looked over towards the reception desk, and looked at Cream.

"I'll be right back, i want to know why it's taking so long. I want to know why we're out here and not in there....", he kissed the sobbing rabbit on the forehead and walked over to the reception desk, one hand wrapped around his other arm.

"Excuse me....", he murmured, barely audible. The woman who was tending to files and phones turned to him and tilted her head.

"Yes? What is it sir?", She replied, very polite and well spoken.

"I- I was wondering if you could check on a patient for me... her name's is Amy Rose.... ummm... she's that pink hedgehog that was brought in with...", the descriptions of the wounds got caught in his throat, making him gag, "Multiple.... stab wounds and.... and....."

The woman noticed his distress and sighed, "Would you like to wait in the relative's room? You and your girlfriend can talk to someone there and you won't be disturbed...."

Tails looked at cream, who had wrapped herself up in her arms, and had tucked her legs under her elbows. He turned back to the receptionist and nodded.

"Alright then, I'll have Carl take you there and I'll send a message up to the chief surgeon.", she smiled, waving over a colleague who had just dispersed a conflict between a penniless drunk and a coffee machine. He came over and smiled at the receptionist.

"Yes Floe?", he asked, he had a very deep yet soothing voice, a welcome type of voice to Tails right now, who felt about a soothed as a bus driving over a bed of nails.

"This young man.. Umm.. Fox.. And that young... Well, would you take them to the relative's room? They're friends of a patient and they're extremely worried."

"Certainly, if you'd like to get your girlfriend and follow me?"

Tails nodded slowly and went back to get Cream, who latched onto him like a barnacle and began to cry again, and followed Carl to the relatives room.

Back across town, gunshots and sirens were the lullabies of the sleeping, and Sonic was hopelessly trying to avoid getting a bullet in his spiky blue back

"What have i DONE?", he asked again, his voice breaking up slightly as he tried to yell and run around at the same time, he had had quite enough. he jumped forwards at the nearest police officer and whipped his gun out of his hand, twisted him around and placed the gun to his head, this was quite an achievement, as sonic was barely four feet tall, and the police officer, now twisted around like a pretzel so he didn't choke from the hero's grasp, was over 5 or 6 feet tall.

"I want answers!! And i want them NOW!!!!!!!!", Sonic roared, screwing the gun firmly over the policeman's temple. Hundreds of guns were held up at him, bearing down at him from all directions, even from below, as several snipers took aim from boats in the river underneath the bridge Sonic now stood upon.

"Now jus calm down laddies.", a Scottish accent bellowed, "Put dooon the gun and we'll talk to ye like civilised men."

Sonic growled, "Put your guns down!! I'm the one who's being chased around and shot at Put your gun down and be 'civilised', I want to know what's gong on!"

An officer standing behind a barrier grunted, "You're a ruthless criminal! You're a danger to society! You've already had one person cleaved nearly in two! And we're going to stop you and bring you to-"

"Shut up!!!", before he could finish his sentence the Scotsman had opened his mouth again, silencing the crowd, "That's enooof of your smart mooth!! Now listen here Sonic. You've done a terrible thing, and we're here to prevent more terrible things, now, are you gonna put that gun down so we can all relax a little bit, or are ye gonna start blowin' good officers brains ooot?"

Sonic looked at the police officer in his grasp, he was white as a sheet, praying for mercy. What had Sonic done to make these people think he was a danger, why had they opened fire on him and why were they now treating him like a monster? He pushed his captive away and sighed.

"Alright then. But if you shoot, I'm not going to be happy...", he frowned, throwing the gun away in three separate pieces. Instantly he was swamped by uniformed men, handcuffs slapped over his wrists, and his ankles shackled to prevent him running away. And he was tossed into the back of a police car. One thought going through his mind. Civilised, yeah right....

Above them on the top of one of the bridges suspension columns stood a lone figure, cloaked to hide it's identity.

"Excellent... Everything is running like clockwork.", it's deep and dark voice chuckled, before it vanished in a plume of smoke.

Just half an hour later, back at the hospital.

"Do you think Amy will be ok?", Cream asked Tails, he eyes glassy and red from all the crying she'd done. Tails hugged her and sighed.

"I wish i knew Cream. To tell the truth, I'm scared.", He admitted in return to her question. And he was telling the truth, he was terrified for the pink hedgehog who had become one of his best friends. When Sonic was too busy to help him with his gadgets Amy would lend a hand. And when he was lonely and just needed someone to talk to, Amy would listen and give him advice, she'd become like a mother to the Fox, and he didn't want to lose her...

"The doctor was lying wasn't he...? He didn't sound like he was telling the truth. He was too quiet...", Cream was about to cry again.

The doctor who had talked to them, said that the injuries were quite extensive, but his team were the best in the business. And that if they couldn't save her, then i was god's will for her to join him. Cream didn't like the use of childish metaphors. They made it sound like the doctor thought them stupid, "Tails, i don't want Amy to die..."

Tails held Cream close and kissed her forehead, "She'll be ok, I've known Amy for a long time and she's never given up on anything. Shhh... It'll be alright..."

"So... Why dya think playin stupid will help ye?", the scottish officer was the chief of Police, and had taken it upon himself to question Sonic as he had promised, and he had been civilised enough to have sonic in magnetic boots that held him to the ground so he couldn't move at all.

"I'm not 'playing stupid', i really have no idea what's going on. I went to sleep at my home in emerald city and the next thing i knew i was back in Station Square, covered in someone's blood.", Sonic frowned, he'd been here waiting for his civilised conversation for 20 minutes, and it still hadn't come.

"so y'admit to the attack?"

"What attack!? I keep asking you to tell me and you skip the details!", Sonic was furious. still no answers to his many questions.

"Y know full well what i'm talking 'boot. Did it make ye feel strong? To hurt the person who idolises ye so completely? Ye got to be cold te be able te do that.", the chief sat down on the desk in the middle of the solitary room. Sonic was forced to stand up in the furnitureless cell.

"Amy!? Wait a minute, i wouldn't hurt Amy! This is sick! What's going on!?", Sonic's face showed fear and disgust all at the same time, and both were drown out by nausia.

"Why don't YOU tell me?", he slid a brown envelope out of his jacket pocket, and opened it, sliding pictures onto the table and forcing sonic to look at them one by one, they were all andgle shots of Amy, with chunks missing, slashes all over her body and blood dying her pink fur red.

"Stop! I didn't do this! Put them away... Put them-", Sonic was brought to vomit, hurling up over the magnet boots.

"It's quite disgusting isn't it?", The chief looked quite pleased with the reaction he got from the blue hero, "is ye memory refreshed now?"

Sonic looked blank, Had he done that to Amy? Was it her blood that he was stained with?

"Get my gloves off, i can't take them off because of the cuffs.", He didn't move, just spoke, it was like he believed if he wasn't moving then it wasn't really happening, that it was just a bad dream, and he would wake up any moment.

The chief was quite abbliged to be taking Sonic's gloves, he could use them as evedence.

"So then, back to where we were. Why did you attack her?", The chiefs tone was cold, disgusted.

"I didn't",Sonic wasn't as defensive now, the photo's had taken the fight away. He was now subdued, defeated, "I told you. I don't know what's going on. I couldn't do this..."

A fist slammed down on the table, shaking the photos off of the table, giving sonic another glance.

"Bullshit!", the chief growled, "I know you did it, you know you did it, and these blood stained gloves are proof you did it, they're soaked in her blood. You're going to get the death sentence for this kind of brutality."

Sonic looked at his vomit coated boots, they were sparking and the chief hadn't noticed, maybe they'd stopped working.

"You listen to me. I did not hurt Amy, and i only need a day to prove it."

Tails's hands trembled, Cream had worn herself out and had fallen asleep against his shoulder, but he couldn't sleep. Sonic had hurt Amy, and now she might die. He couldn't bare the thought that Sonic, who he looked up to so much, would do such a thing. Tails had seen the wounds first hand, and his reaction was very similar to Sonic's, only, when he threw up, he did it to the point of passing out, Cream had been first on the scene and was just a silent wreck. And it was Sonic who did this, Cream had seen him. She'd coward in a corner as Amy tried to stand up for her, and Sonic had cut her up with a huge sword... Why? What reason?

He was left to think about this for a few moments more when a doctor opened the door quietly trying not to disturb the sleeping rabbit.

"Your friend is stable, but she isn't out of the woods yet", He announced, his voice keeping the same tone and showing not a hint of emotion,"Her wounds are very extensive and even if she does make a recovery, she will be very weak for a long time. Not to mention psychological damage"

Tails looked distressed again, "Can we see her?"

Te doctor shook his head, "not at the moment, we need to keep her isolated for a day or so. she still hasn't woken up yet. You look like hell. You should take your girlfriend home, get some rest, come back to-morrow."

Tails gave a quick nod and sighed. picking cream up in his arms to avoid her waking up and taking her to the tornado, which was on the roof.

_"Sonic."_

"Huh...? Who's there? Where are you??"

_"Don't worry Sonic, help is coming"_

"What? Who are you?"

Sonic woke from sedation, some kind of gas had filled the room when the chief had left. He looked around, the boots were no longer on his feet and were now smouldering in the coner of the room. Sonic scratched his head and looked around again. The room was pitch black, He could see nothing until he saw a small crimson glow. He stood up, and reached forwards, his hand trembling. He nearly fell back onto the floor when his hand was caught by a familiar glove with red tags on them.

"Not exactly your most gracious of settings", the familiar voice of a black hedgehog whispered. a small ball of energy floating beside him and lighting up the room. highlighting the vomit on the floor and the photo's on the desk.

"Shadow?", Sonic asked tiredly, half yawning lightly.

"Yes?", Shadow turned to him and frowned. He had no reason to frown other than the fact that he now had a strange stain on his shoe that wasn't there before he teleported into the prison cell. He looked out toawrds the door, clenching his fists. "I'd lovce to chat with you and talk about old times. But i think you've already noticed the high security prison we're in..."

Sonic frowned. Shadow hadn't changed one bit, he was still a headstrong arrogant... wait.... he's got a cloak! where'd that come from!?

"Shadow. Where did you get that cloak?"

"Stole it"

"Where fro-"

"ghost"

"Eh? Why?"

"bored"

"So let me get this straight. you went to-"

"Broke into..."

"Ok. Broke into ghost's place, stole his cloak when he wasdn't"

"He was wearing it at the time..."

"What!?"

"Punched him out"

"How?"

"Like this", Shadow then punched sonic square between the eyes, nocking him into the wall and sonding an alarm. Shadow rolled his eyes, and tossed sonic rather harshly onto his shoulder.

"Now look what you did you stupid blue idiot", he closed his eyes and waited until the moment the door flew open so he could dramatically charge through the armed guards and make a run for it. It didn't work like that as it went.

Tails let out a large and depressed yawn, and then locked the door behind him. Cream was still asleep in his bed, and Tails had slept on the couch for about an hour before waking up again with worry. He walked slowly down the early morning streets, still empty and quite eerie. He yawned again. and suddenly found himself in shock as he saw sonic charge by, a large bag on his back and a hellacious amount of rings stored in it and spilling out into the streets, he growled, running after him as fast as his legs would carry him and then span around his twin tails, shooting off like a mini hovercraft. But found himself on the floor when met by his hero's boot. A cold and emotionless glare in his emerald green eyes. Sonic sneered at the fox, before stomping on his chest one last time before dashing off again. Tails lay upon the hard stone floor, a light tracing of blood on his muzzle, he whimpered in pain as he climbed to his feet, looking off in the direction where Sonic had run. Tears rolled his cheeks, and he limped back to his home.

Sonic awake yet again to find himself in a dark room, a sole window to his right, sending light into his eyes, a scent of blood hung in the air, and Sonic looked around, half expecting himself to be back in station square again, framed for another attack. He rubbed his head; Shadow sure could lay a punch. How had he gotten so strong in the past few years? He groaned, jumping to his feet and dusting off his shoes. Another thing hit his head and dropped through the air. Sonic grabbed it and squinted to see it, it was a bar of chocolate.

"Wha'?", he asked quizzically to no-one in particular.

"Think about it. It looks like chocolate, so what could it possibly be?", Shadow's voice answered. the hedgehog stumbled into the room, holding himself up with an iron pole that was sticking out of the floor, blood trickling from his shoulder and dripping from the tips of his fingers.

"What happened to you Shadow?", Sonic winced, it looked quite painful, or that could have been from his pounding headache.

"Shot. As it goes, those cops aren't cops. They're from G.U.N. And it seems like they want to keep something hushed up and it involves you.", Shadow replied, ripping a piece of the cloak he was wearing and tying it around his shoulder. Sonic looked out of the window, the area he saw he didn't recognise. it was a strange open field with a yellow horizon and the sky seemed to be more like water than anything else. He gasped, spinning back to shadow and growling.

"Where are we!? And what the hell is going on! Amy..... I have to go see her! I have to find out what's going on!", he was now near hysterical and his hands were trembling. Shadow stomped up to him, close enough for Sonic to see right into his soul, then took a step backwards and lunged forwards, swinging a palm at Sonic's cheek. Sonic span around from the force of the slap and then fell over, rubbing his now throbbing cheek.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?"

"For suggesting something so stupid", Shadow sounded so calm, and it made sonic's blood boil.

"YOU MOTHERFUCK-" Shadow hit him again. That really wasn't deserved! Sonic glared at him through a red haze.

"If you've returned to your senses..." Shadow drawled. Sonic groaned and rubbed his head.

"I think they fell out when you hit me the second time." Shadow ignored him.

"You may have guessed you've been framed. What I don't think you've guessed is how badly."

The black hedgehog paused for dramatic effect. Sonic blinked.

"Well? Tell me already!" Shadow groaned.

"Ok, they want you dead. We're talking capital one murder."

"WHAT?! I didn't do anything!!"

"I know that and you know that, but they don't." Sonic dragged a hand down his face with another groan.

"Way to state the obvious. What do we do now?"

"We?"

"Well, you saved me, so I'm going to assume you're helping until further notice."

"Well... I'm going to be a little busy saving my own ass."

"What did YOU do?"

"Nothing..." Sonic raised an eyebrow at Shadow, who shrugged. "Ok, so I stole some stuff they wrote about me. Uh... they're a little pissed."

"Oh great. I'm on the run with a crazy thief."

"No, that would be Rouge." Shadow paused. "Who incidentally, is in on it."

"WHAT?! Who else is in on this?!"

"Well... Everyone."

"Even Ghost?"

"Well... Not Ghost."

"Shortfuse?"

"Well... Not him, either."

"Who then?!"

"Eh... Me, Rouge, erm.... You..."

"That's it?"

"Well... My circle of friends is small."

"You could've asked-"

"Annoyed with me."

"Why?"

"Stole his pants."

"WHAT?!"

"Bored."

"You seriously stole his..."

"Yeah, well. This time he wasn't wearing them."

"That image is too gross to imagine."

"He was wearing the other pair, sicko."

"i didn't know he had any full stop....."

"Yeah, well... He's changed a bit since you last saw him."

"are you gonna help me or not?"

"Let me think about it." Shadow turned to walk back out of the door and looked back over his shoulder, "Thought about it."

"Well?", Sonic was becoming quite bored, and was ready to just race out of the door.

"Yes. but only if you play it my way and don't argue with me."

With all that done with, Shadow turned away again and walked out of the door, pokig his head back round for a split second, "Stay here."

That was all he said, before using Chaos control to warp away. Naturally Sonic didn't listen to him and dashed out of the door, taken aback by what he saw. They were in the netherworld. Sonic had been here only once, and at the time, he was dead. If Amy had died she'd have been here, and that would mean he could find out what was going on. He rushed over to the temple for the newly departed and looked around.

Empty.

Not a single soul in sight. When Sonic had arrived here, there were hundreds all gathered in groups, whispering and muttering about him. But now, there was no-one in sight. Could he not see them because he was alive? He wouldn't be able to ask Amy anything, no matter what happened. He sat down in the middle, and curled up into himself, wrapping his arms around his knees. He openly cried into them. And then looked up at the fluid skies. _"Damn.... What am i going to do? I can't just sit here moping can I"_, He thought, standing up and walking back to the solitary shack. And sitting down in one of it's damp corners. Waiting for Shadow to get back.

Tails woke that morning with the worst chest pain he'd ever had, and Cream was watching over him, fraught with worry. The Rabbit touched his chest lightly, and when he winced in pain at the mere touch, she looked into his eyes.

"Sonic did this to you?"

Tails couldn't keep his eyes locked with hers and turned away, rubbing his chest lightly. He sighed a long melancholy sigh.

"Yeah...", he fought back his tears, which only made more arrive to re-enforce the others, Cream hugged him from behind. She feared for him, because unlike Tails she had just seen a news broadcast only hours before.

One that terrified her, and made her very soul split in two. Amy had died in hospital.

"Tails... Don't leave me behind", she sobbed, soaking Tails' back, "Don't go away."

Tails relieved himself of her grip and turned around, placing his hands on her shoulders to reassure her and himself, "I'm not going to leave you Cream. Why would you say something like that?"

"Dead.", the words were said so calmly, the police chief had no sympathy. "It seems that the wee hedgehog managed to kill the guards somehow, and he escaped through a service exit."

Microphones were forced into his face as he spoke to the media.

"We are now treating Sonic as a serial killer, firstly for the cold blooded killing of one Amy Rose, and then for the senseless slaughter of my men."

More microphones were forced upon him.

"Chief Mac'hallen, do you have any leads upon Sonic's current whereabouts?"

"What do you believe could have made a hero such as sonic become so ruthless?"

"Are the rumours of his involvement with the evil scientist Eggman true?"

"No more questions, please, I'm a busy man, i have a killer te catch!", and with that the chief was off, into a car and down route 99. As he travelled, he activated a comm link, a dark figure clouded in shadows appearing on a small screen in his rear view mirror.

"I grow impatient police Chief Mac'hallen, you must retrieve the hedgehog before my identity is revealed"

"Don't ye be worrien' I've got that blue freak in the palm of me 'and."

"I hope so, because failure is not acceptable."

The screen went blank, and the chief continued towards the mystic ruins. And Tails.


	3. Love and Hate

Yes, this took me a while, but I'll be able to write it more often now, I thank you for bearing with me.

Please review.

Legal stuff: I don't own Any of the respective characters from Sega they're not mine and I don't claim to own them. I'm just a fan with lots of ideas.

Now back to the story.

Sonniku SL

**Chapter 3 **

Tails lifted himself up from the bed, not recovered in the least but he didn't want to stick around one place too long. It gave him too much time to think. And when he thought it hurt him. Because his thoughts were filled with confusion, pain, and death.  
His heart was heavy... He'd known Amy so long. And now she was gone.

"Sonic... You... You bastard. I hate you...," he whispered, taking a step from his room. Where he and Cream had spent the night calming each other down. Whispering soothing words.  
Cream was still asleep. She'd done so a lot lately, obviously feeling the sting of Amy's death. Tails had taken it hard. But Cream was on the verge of a breakdown, Cheese was still in the chao gardens, where he'd been taken until Cream was in a better state to cope with taking care of her most precious chao companion. Cheese would defend Sonic's reputation, and would likely be shouting down at other chao right now. Imagining the little chao screaming at each other made a smile crawl over Tails's muzzle, but not enough to stifle the pain.

He looked back to where Cream was, he couldn't leave without at least leaving a note. And kissing her forehead to keep her dreams in order. No that would be something only Knuckles could have done without thought. He quickly scrawled a note and placed it beside the rabbit as she slept. And kissed her on the forehead gently, stroking the top of her head with a smile, and the smile widening as she smiled. Then with plenty of hesitation, he left.

There had to be a way to figure this whole thing out. If Sonic hadn't done it then why did he hit him? Why did he crush his ribs under his foot? There wasn't any doubt left after that, he was guilty. But what was his motive? He had to find out. And he knew just who to ask.

"Espio. Please I know you don't believe this whole thing. Here's your chance to-"

"Listen Tails. It isn't that I don't respect your ideas. But you must be crazy to think that Sonic would abandon his ideals."

The purple chameleon leaned against the wall behind him. After such a along time without Eggman, Chaotix had gone out of business. This had caused Vector and the crew a lot of trouble and they split. Espio was the only one Tails could find. And persuading him was a harder task than he had ever thought was possible.

"Please! I'll pay you whatever you want! He killed Amy, I have to know why!" Tails's eyes welled with tears but he found himself quickly met by a hanker chief flicked from Espio's pocket.

"I'm sorry. But this is one case I will not take. I understand the pain you must be feeling for Amy Rose's death, I myself was hit hard by it, but were Sonic to do something like that he would kill himself." The chameleon shot tails a look, staring into his soul.  
"But of course, I myself need to know who is really behind this, so anything I discover I will relay to you."

He didn't give time for Tails to smile or to thank him. He didn't want the fox's thanks for this one. It was totally down to him. And he would treat it as such.

"You will go home, and you will keep Cream from harm. She needs you more than you need answers right now."

"I... you're right Espio. Thank-", before Tails could finish Espio faded from view, cutting his sentence off. The Chameleon fled with a rush of wind, and the ninja was off. Seeking answers for his own questions.

"Tell me now; what do you want with Sonic the hedgehog?"  
A mouse flew across the alley, landing in a pile of trash bags, sporting a gold tooth, a ring in his left ear, and a broken nose.

"I already told ya", he coughed, "I dunno what you're talking about, I aint after no Hero. I may be an underdog, but I aint stupid."

Shadow stepped forward a frown upon his face, and energy warping around his hands, he gave a cold stare to the mouse with his crimson eyes.  
"I already know you're a shapeshifter, what are you being paid to impersonate him? What have they got on you?"

The mouse gasped, and stood up, cowering against the wall as shadow held an energy brightened hand.  
"Whoa whoa whoa! Hold on a second there! I aint on a job right now, I'm just tryin to make ends meet with some random stuff. I did a bank job as him, and a couple other things. But I didn't slice that girl!"

"When did I mention that? And change into something a little more respectable, a mouse is less than becoming of you."

The mouse looked at Shadow's hand, still blazing with black energy, threatening him with coldness only Shadow had perfected. The hedgehog frowned. And the mouse quickly changed shape, contorting until his features had altered to those of a jackal.  
"There, happy?"

"I knew it." Espio's voice called out to them both as he seemed to appear from out of a wall.  
"Well then Shadow, what _is_ going on here? I think we all want to know who hired this imposter correct?"

"My thoughts exactly."

Shadow fired off an energy blast, blowing the mouse turned jackal's leg off. Blood sprayed across the floor and up both the fronts of shadow and Espio in a speckled spatter. The shape shifter cried out in agony until shadow grabbed him by the throat. Espio just watching.  
"Now, unless you want similar to happen to your head, I'd start to talk to me."

The shape shifter whimpered in the grasp struggling slightly until another energy blast was held forward to his muzzle.

"ALRIGHT! I'LL TALK!", he cried. The ebony hedgehog let go of him and folded his arms. Silently rushing the Jackal to speak.

"I don't know his name, but he shows up in a bar near here, you want to talk to him you'll need to get his right hand man to set up a meetin. Just ask for dark claw at the bar. They'll get him for you..."

Shadow looked at Espio, who smirked. And turned away.

"Thank you", The purple ninja hissed, "Now grow that leg back and stop whining. Shadow, you coming with me or shall I go there alone?"

Shadow thought about it, but shook his head to the offer, closing his eyes and smirking darkly. "I wouldn't want to spoil your fun, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself Espio but remember, if we're to clear Sonic, we need to get the information on tape. Don't kill them straight away." He shot an icy glare at the Jackal, who by this point had grown back his leg, and was standing up. The hedgehog span into a back kick, and struck him across the muzzle.

"No more impersonations. Understand me?" He said it calmly, striking fear into the heart of the shape shifting fur. Who nodded and ran off, looking back over his shoulder but seeing no-one, Both Shadow and Espio had vanished.

"TAILS!" Cream woke with a start, shrieking out loudly, sobbing her heart out. The 15 year old doe had lost her best friend, her dreams had been calm while the fox was there to keep her that way, but as soon as he stepped out in search of Espio she'd returned to the horrific memories, The way the blade shone, the look in his eyes, the darkness in his voice.

The blood.

So much blood.

She couldn't get clean.

She made a rush for the bathroom, throwing up down the toilet, losing what little she'd eaten. It was too much, she couldn't take it. And there it was, staring at her. The light from the window highlighted it in a way she'd never seen before, more outlining it and making it seem like a thing of beauty. She reached out to it, tracing a gloved finger along it's side, and then, ever so delicately she picked it up. Her face was blank, there were tears welling in her eyes, she held it up in front of her. Her scrap of hope, her only way to stop the sound of the screaming in her head. Manifesting itself in the form of a razorblade.

She brought it down so it was hovering gently over the top of her pulsing vein, the fur on her wrist making silent sounds on the side of the blade, calling it to her flesh, tempting her like a kiss from a god. She pressed it down slightly, just marking her skin under her fur. She hesitated, fear forcing it's way into her heart, cutting itself deep through the distress. She was afraid to die, she didn't think she could do it, she started to sweat, the razor slitting the top layer and bringing a tiny amount of blood to the surface, her hand drew away, shaking like crazy.

And she was about to bring it back down when the front door opened, closed, and was locked, footsteps that were quiet and considerate came to her long and sensitive ears, followed by a call of her name.

Tails had come back home after his run in with Espio, he'd come back to be with her. He'd come back to make everything ok. She looked at the razor with disgust, no longer shining, it looked dull and worthless. She tossed it away, making it clink as it hit the glass of the window and fell onto the floor.

She collapsed into sobs, dropping down on her knees.

That's when he came in to her, and lifted her up onto her feet again. He held her close, stroking down her ears to calm her. Whispering to her, telling her 'it's ok' and 'I'm here' over and over again. He looked at her as she sobbed into his chest fur, matting it with salty tears. He kissed the top of her head and sighed. Bringing her out of the bathroom, and sitting her down next to him on the sofa in the living room. She looked up at him, and he down at her, Their muzzle's drew closer to each other's, and they shared a passionate kiss, emotions erupting between them.

Cream's tongue snaked out of her mouth and daringly searched around Tails's.

It took him of guard, but he didn't pull back, he met her tongue with his, wrapping it around, and circling it. He pulled out of the kiss, leaving cream with her eyes closed, and her lips still pursed.

"Wow..." she muttered, her eyes now half lidded and looking at Tails, who was panting as heat rose to his ears in a blush. She too felt the heat flowing through her cheeks and along her long lop ears. And they looked at each other for a moment before cream leaned into him again.

Like a magnet was pulling him, Tail's lips met with her's again and they went back to their lover's kissing. Frantically feeling around each other, until without a word, Tails lifted cream from the sofa, and still joined with her by the mouth, brought her into his bedroom, placing her down upon his bed and climbing on with her.

Meanwhile, in a part of Station Square that was more avoided than others. A certain purple Chameleon watched a building carefully.


	4. Dark Claw

Wow it's been a while since I last updated this. Well. Hopefully I'll have more time to write this. As I think it needs more doing with it anyway.

As usual I don't claim to own any of these chars blah blah blah, legal bull out of the way.

Enjoy!

SonikkuSL

Chapter 4 

The chameleon frowned lightly from his perch on the opposing roof. His gaze brazing over the front door of the bar. This is where that snitch had said to go. So this is where he was.

The door sported a top of the line infra red camera, no doubt meant to keep his kind under control. Or to keep them out completely. He wasn't too sure which. His frown deepened as he thought back to the feats they had to gone to make the shape shifter talk. This whole thing could be a trap. But then again, He could have been so scared that he was telling the truth. Espio's amber eyes closed for a moment, as he collected his thoughts and prepared himself for any scenario he may encounter inside.

Then.

He went in.

The bar was the same as any other. A line of drunks hanging off of the polished top bar, an old bartender, bored and tired of life, cleaned the glasses from the last round painfully slow. Eyes were on the purple ninja as he entered, his reputation carrying with it a few unwanted glances. He looked over to the side, and with a slight pause, strolled over confidently; ready to toss a shuriken, or slit a throat or two with his Kunai.

"Dark Claw" he said quietly, the tender nodded and then put down the glass.

"Sorry mate. Dunno who yer on abou'. No Dark Claw 'ere." He replied. Putting his hands on the bar and smiling. "Now, 'ow abou' a drink?"

"That excuse" Espio sneered, "is about as believable as your accent." He finished, and leaned on the bar. "I'll ask you again, Dark Claw. Where can I find him?"

He gave a steely glance at him and clenched one of his fists. "I'm sure you would prefer to work with both hands." He added, and made his point by flicking a shuriken to the tip of his fingers, ready to throw it at whatever he may need to.

The tender flushed, and gulped, as the chameleon continued to stare, he became more and more uneasy, and a bead of sweat formed on the human's brow.

"In the back."

"Thank you." Espio put away his weapon and started off to the back door. Giving it a slight push and smirking as it slipped open with a creak.

The room was pitch black, he could just about see a table before his vision was cut completely. He stepped in and the door swung closed behind him. "Dark Claw?"

He tried to see around the room and found himself simply repeating his glances, there was no longer anything to see without the light from the open door.

Time passed, and he found himself growing bored. He'd been in this one room for about thirty seconds before a deep voice bellowed. "What do you want?" Espio assumed this to be the Dark Claw he had heard about, and folded his arms, "I would like a word. I need you to do a job. Like the one you did on Sonic."

"What makes you think I have anything to do with that murdering scumbag?"

"A little jackal told me." He said in reply, taking a couple of steps forward, and seemingly out of nowhere, a large spotlight hit him. From the edge of the light he could see a large silhouette, it seemed to be a dragon, a fairly large one, but not because of weight. This guy worked out, a lot.

"You're Espio, of Team Chaotix, are you not?"

Espio grunted and turned his head away. "I don't associate with them anymore."

Though this was the truth, it was used in a different context, which made it a lie. He had lost contact with them yes, but he still considered himself a Chaotix.

"I see. But what does any deal I have going have to do with you? You defending Sonic?" The dragon's arms folded, and another creature, some other form of reptile came with a cigar. At the moment the Cigar was lit, Espio managed to catch a glance at the Dragon's face. Very well sculpted, and sporting a scar in the shape of a flame just over his right cheek. Espio mused over this. And managed to see where the nickname Dark Claw originated. Upon his left hand was a large blade like claw, around 12 inches in length, it was unnatural, or at least it seemed that way on first glance. In fact, it was growing from his wrist, and was a perfect black in colour.

The Dragon itself towered over any human.

"Well?" he frowned, about to repeat his question to the Chameleon.

"Simply trying to tie up a loose end. It doesn't matter to me whether or not Sonic is innocent."

Espio had clicked on a hidden tape recorder as soon as the door had closed, using the slam to muffle the click.

"Alright then, yeah, I had mike shift into Sonic and go slice up Amy Rose. As per instruction, I my friend am a hit man, and a proud one at that." Dark Claw chuckled. And stepped into the light. Looking down at Espio. "But if you think that means I'm stupid you're wrong chameleon. Cause now there's no way I can let you leave."

Espio gave a slight grunt, and his twin Kunai were unleashed. "I would like to see you stop me. Dark Claw."

It had been another day since the last time Sonic had seen another living being, and he was getting to be a bit fed up. He just wanted out of here, and back into the world to clear his name. He didn't feel at all like he was being helpful. And Shadow was keeping him entirely in the dark on the matter.

When he'd asked about the situation, Shadow had simply replied. "Not something you need to be worrying about Sonic. Leave it to me."

He sighed, not just a regular old sigh; it was a melancholy and very sad sigh. The blue blur, loved by the world, was not considered anything more than a criminal and most likely would be set for an execution or something.

"Well Sonic. Had to happen eventually" he tried to reason with himself as he sat in that same small room Shadow had brought him to. He had plenty enough room to run outside, but there was nowhere to run to. No one to run to.

"Cam…." He gulped gently, thinking about her more and more every day, she was all he ever thought about. Except when he was thinking about what had happened to Amy and all the things he's supposedly done.

He looked up at the fluid skies from out of the window, and frowned. "I gotta get the hell out of here."

He looked over at the door and frowned gently. "But it's not like that leads anywhere useful…. Damnit Shadow, why do you have to be such an ass?"

"An ass am I?" Shadow chuckled, stepping up to Sonic from behind, the blue hero hadn't seen him even come back. "You seriously want to go back that badly eh?"

Sonikku… 

"Damn Shadow don't call me that, it's creepy." Sonic frowned and folded his arms. Looking at a now baffled Black hedgehog.

Shadow looked Sonic up and down, checking him as if he was mad. "What are you babbling about? I didn't call you anything."

Sonikku… 

"Damnit man, knock it off! It's not funny!" Sonic growled, earning him a slap from Shadow like last time. Sonic shook his head and rubbed his cheek. "I'm not even going to bother."

_Sonikku…I'm here. Come and find me._

Sonic was considerably creeped out. And simply went to the makeshift bed he had to sleep in. "I'm going to sleep for a while. When I wake up. Take me back." He commanded, earning a snigger from shadow and a middle finger.

"Yes, your majesty", he mocked.


End file.
